NEWS: Party Officials Register Biggest Number Of Democrats Ever
State Sees Surprising Number Of New Democrats
Party Officials Register Biggest Number Of Democrats Ever
POSTED: 8:42 PM MST December 30, 2003
UPDATED: 8:57 PM MST December 30, 2003
The deadline has come and gone -- if you haven't yet registered as a Democrat, you won't be voting as one in the state's presidential caucus.
Most political eyes will be on New Mexico in early February, when the state holds its Democratic presidential caucus. Tuesday was the deadline to register to vote.
In Bernalillo County, 620 people signed up in November.
This month, 900 registered to vote Democratic.
The deadline to register as a Democrat in New Mexico ran out at 5 p.m. Tuesday, and party officials say they're feeling lucky.
They've registered the largest number of Democrats ever.
"I've been a Republican all my life, but I am so disgusted with George Bush and the Republican Party that I need to do something about it," said voter Bill Reuler.
So he's now a Democrat, and so are more than 1,000 others across Bernalillo County.
"There are a lot of people calling in to change (parties) but the number of calls from Republicans who want to register as Democrats is somewhat surprising," said Brian Monaghan, New Mexico Democratic Party Executive Director.
Democrats in New Mexico will go the ballot boxes before those in most other states. The caucus here is Feb. 3, which puts New Mexicans on the candidates' radar screens.
Judging by the excitement and the number of calls coming into these headquarters, Democrats are predicting their most interesting and successful caucus yet, though they haven't forgotten the popular Republican their candidate must face.
The Bernalillo County Clerk's Office says most of the people who registered as Democrats were formerly members of the Green Party. Again, all registered Democrats can vote in the caucus Feb. 3.
If you are a registered Democrat, you can vote absentee.
The ballot has seven of the nine nationally known candidates listed, plus another candidate. It also has a write-in section.
To get an absentee ballot, request one by fax at (505) 232-0784. All absentee ballots must be postmarked by Jan. 26.
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